Monthly Archives: October 2011

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Aruba is a relatively small island, only 20 miles long and slightly less than 6 miles across at its widest point. It is one of the Dutch “ABC islands” consisting of Aruba, Bonaire, and Curaçao and only 19 miles off the north shore of Venezuela. It’s easy to get around in Aruba. The public bus is efficient and runs through the hotel zone. Taxis, cars, motorcycles and bicycles are also available for rent.

They must do something right in Aruba. It has the highest hotel occupancy rates and the highest rate of return visitors of any destination in the Caribbean.

Aruba’s leading industry is relaxation. Over 500,000 people visit each year, bringing a lot of money to the island. As a result, Aruba is quite prosperous by Caribbean standards. The locals have good housing, healthcare and education. There is very little history of racial or social strife, so the inhabitants are friendly, warm and open with travelers.

The city of Oranjestad is the capital and was named after the first king of the Dutch Royal Family, Willem van Orange-Nassau, in 1824. In Oranjestad you’ll find the Aruba Historical Museum and the oldest building in Aruba, Fort Zoutman (1796).

One of the real graces of Aruba is its near-perfect weather–a nearly constant phenomenon of sunny skies, warm temperatures, and cool breezes driven off the Caribbean. This island’s low humidity and desert-like terrain is likewise nearly a full-time affair as it almost never rains and the island is far below the hurricane belt of the Caribbean.

Aruba’s beaches are some of the best in the Caribbean with miles of white, sugary sand. The nearly picture-perfect beach settings and gentle surf are what many people have in mind when they think of this part of the world. Aruba is a desert island full of cacti, iguanas, a few aloe-vera plants and unusual boulder formations.

While the resort area of the island has very calm, pristine beaches, the north coast features craggy limestone cliffs, caves, sand dunes, and a more energetic surf.

In Aruba, there are plenty of activities. It’s a great place to experience snorkeling, scuba diving, windsurfing or kite surfing. Both experienced and novice practitioners of all these sports find great outlets on Aruba. When you tire of the beach you can dine at the restaurants or do some local shopping.

Are you ready to getaway to picture perfect Aruba? Contact Island Time Travel and get started.

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These tragic deaths today while on a vacation away from home once again highlight the importance of always protecting your travel investment with insurance. If you were on a cruise with a loved one, and he or she died during the cruise, did you ever think about such issues as who you would call for help, how you would cover your unanticipated living expenses while having to stay at that port of call, or how you would get your loved one’s body home?

Even the best-planned trip can incur unforeseen issues. Travel insurance should really be thought of more as travel protection, because it is much more than just trip cancellation insurance. Most all reputable providers, such as TravelSafe, include a 24/7 worldwide customer service help line for medical, legal, or other emergency assistance, and include medical evacuation coverage as well as coverage for repatriation of remains.

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(Reuters) – Hurricane Rina closed in on Mexico’s Yucatán peninsula on Tuesday, threatening beach resorts like Cancun with heavy rain and dangerous waves but steering clear of oil installations in the Gulf of Mexico.

Rina, now a Category Two hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson intensity scale packing winds of 110 mph, is on the cusp of becoming a major hurricane. When sustained winds hit 111 miles per hour storms are considered major Category Three hurricanes.

Authorities in Cancun were preparing 50 shelters ahead of Rina, which is expected to make landfall on Thursday morning. Worried residents cleared out store shelves of emergency supplies like water and canned tuna in case businesses decide to shut down.

“They have already started putting away beach chairs and umbrellas at the hotel just to be safe,” said Michelle Thomson, a vacationing accountant from Texas shopping for souvenirs at a mall in Cancun.

Companies that run marine parks around Cancun moved more than two dozen dolphins, some of them pregnant, housed in areas in the hurricane’s path to safer sites further inland.

The storm could slam into other tourist hubs like Playa del Carmen and the island of Cozumel, popular with scuba divers and cruise ships on the Yucatán Peninsula, and will also graze the small Central American nation of Belize.

Read the full article from Reuters here. This is one reason why we always recommend travel insurance. TravelSafe, a leading provider, includes hurricane coverage.

The new Hard Rock resorts will maintain the same superior quality and exceptional service that Palace Resorts are known for, but now with more rock n’ roll for your enjoyment. Palace Resorts will continue to own and operate each property, just as they do with the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Punta Cana. The transformation process will begin in the coming months, with the first Hard Rock-rebranded hotel in Cancun scheduled to launch in Winter 2012, Puerto Vallarta in Spring 2012, followed by a Fall 2012 first-phase debut of Hard Rock Hotel Riviera Maya.

Are you going on a cruise? Are one of these ports on your itinerary? While your ship is in port, relax and play at an all-inclusive beach resort! In Jamaica, you can obtain a pass to either the Sunset Beach Resort in Montego Bay or the Sunset Jamaica Grande Resort in Ocho Rios. Cruisers can enjoy white sand beaches, sparkling pools, savory lunches, snacks, beverages, tropical drinks–all included. Read more about it here.

Recently I participated in an online webinar by Stuart, the owner of Resort For a Day, and learned a lot more about this unique product. I have been on many Caribbean cruises, and I sure wish the Resort for a Day program had been available to me. Additional properties and islands have been added (please note some of the resorts are not all inclusive):

Jamaica: new port of Falmouth now available (Hilton Rose Hall & Spa)Grand Cayman: Westin Casurina Resort and Spa on Seven Mile Beach (but not all inclusive)Barbados: three resorts to choose from (two are not all inclusive), the Almond Casurina is all inclusiveNassau: Paradise Island Harbour ResortFreeport: Viva WyndhamSt. Maarten: Westin St. Maarten Dawn Beach Resort & Spa (not all inclusive, but includes a luxurious guest room, pool and beach lounge chairs, float mats, towels, and more)Cozumel: Cozumel Palace (all inclusive)

Some bullet points I learned about this program:
• Resort for a Day is not affiliated with the cruise lines
• Forms of payment accepted: Credit Cards and PayPal
• Full refund if your ship misses the port
• Can cancel up to 11 days prior
• Your admission to the property is reserved and guaranteed, because some resorts place a limit on the number of day passes available to cruise ship passengers.
• The island properties are NOT time shares—you will be treated as a resort guest
• Jamaica: transfers included
• Nassau: transfers not included
• Freeport: transfers included
• Grand Cayman: no food and drink included, but includes beach chair/umbrella and even a room at the Westin Casurina resort, where you can shower and relax! The resort pass is for up to four guests.
• Kids under 3 free

These day passes are as low as $69 per adult, and in many cases, INCLUDE TRANSFERS from the ship to the resort! How many shore excursions offered by the cruise lines are under $70 and include all your food and drink? Read more about it here!

What is the most photographed place on earth? The question is of course impossible to answer and one can only muster a guess. Countless places lay claim to being the most photographed place in the world, including Paris, The Taj Mahal, Walt Disney World, Niagara Falls, Angkor Wat, the Acropolis to name just a small handful.

The only thing that is widely accepted, is that the Sun is the most photographed object (sunsets and sunrises seem to be universally irresistible). But sticking to “planet earth”, let’s take a look at some of the most photographed subjects around the world. Judge for yourself if you consider them “photogenic”.

Here is a checklist of sorts, for people, places and things to photograph on your travels. Some of them are famous, while others may seem a little odd. Either way, whether it’s a bridge or a toilet, some places get all the photographic glory! (Please keep in mind there is no way to verify the following claims.)

The Africa “Big Five” (lion, leopard, elephant, rhino, buffalo) are considered the most photographed animals in the world.

La Digue island in the Seychelles claims to be the most photographed island in the world.

Santorini is the most photographed island in Greece often considered the most photographed island in Europe.

The Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta is considered to be the most photographed event in the world.